


A Gentle Awakening

by Magpiedance



Series: Wounded Mockingbird [1]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Deputy (Far Cry), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 05:50:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14395635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magpiedance/pseuds/Magpiedance
Summary: You were adopted as a baby. Your birth name was 'Seed'.





	A Gentle Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> _the people on the city streets_
> 
> _the farmers on the plains_
> 
> _are walking in a lucid dream_
> 
> _while the sky is set aflame_
> 
> _-_

Whitehorse has to show you the video before you agree to be present at the arrest. For the record, you think it's a terrible idea. You don't know these men. You were only a baby when you were adopted.

And then there's the small matter of the past. Joseph Seed reached out to you and you denied him. You never even wrote back to explain why.

You can't imagine he'll forgive you for that.

But the Sheriff thinks your presence will help placate the Seeds. He thinks blood means enough to them that they'll let you walk right up and put the cuffs on yourself, even though you're only a Junior Deputy. He's your boss, and the things you saw on the recording are frightening, so you grudgingly relent.

Your knee jigs up and down the entire flight.

The Marshal doesn't want you here. He thinks you'll be too caught up in the emotion of a family reunion to do your job. He doesn't know you very well. You look out of the window to avoid his suspicious gaze.

You pass the statue of your brother and momentarily feel nauseous. You wonder how the choice you made all those years ago affected the present. You wonder what would have changed if you'd agreed to meet him. Could you have gotten him help? Or would his madness have swallowed you too?

When you land in the compound Joseph's cultists treat you with the same scorn and derision as the other officers. They don't know who you are. Hudson pats you on the back. She didn't want you to come either. Despite the seriousness of the situation Pratt blows you a kiss as you vanish through the doors of the church.

And there he is.

Joseph Seed.

Haloed in light, and surrounded by his followers. Your other brothers with him, plus their new sister.

All the Seeds in one room at last.

He doesn't see you at first, too wrapped up in his own performance, and Burke doesn't bother with introductions. You don't see the light of recognition in his eyes until he's offering his wrists to you in a showing of surrender.

“Oh,” he says, with wonder. “It's you.”

There's such joy in his eyes, such love. You hadn't expected that.

He smiles at you like he's been waiting for this moment all his life. His arms don't lower. You hesitate. The Marshal barks in your ear and you snap out of it. The cuffs clasp shut around Joseph's wrists but his smile doesn't falter.

He says “God won't let you take me,” but his tone is fond. Euphoric. He is almost laughing at you.

He isn't wrong.

You are carried tenderly from the wreckage of the helicopter. You are scraped and bruised and lucky to be alive and Joseph carries on like he knew this would happen. Jacob checks a bad cut on your cheek and John wraps his coat around your shoulders. Joseph is yelling about something but your head is spinning so you close your eyes and drift away while all around you the world is going mad. Someone urgently smacks your face but you barely feel it.

When you awaken it is daytime. You're lain in a single bed with clean white linens. The sun is streaming into the room from an open window. Your hand is being held by someone, and when you follow the arm attached to the hand with your eyes you see Joseph, asleep in a wicker chair at your bedside.

You don't move.

You daren't breathe.

You look down and see that someone has redressed you in a plain white nightgown, meaning that you were stripped while unconscious.

As gently as you can you slip your hand free of Joseph's. You wobble upon finding your feet. Through great force of will manage enough stability to make it to the door without causing any great amount of noise and crack it just enough to see that your coast is clear. Or so you think.

Only a few steps into the hallway you hear a voice.

“You're awake.”

It's John, behind you. You turn to see the stunned expression on his face.

He takes an aborted step towards you; abandoned when you take a quick step back and have to hold onto the wall to stop yourself from falling. He holds his hand up to you like he's trying to placate a wild animal.

“Joseph said...” he falters. “He said you would pull through. He said God would not bring you back to us just to...”

He honestly looks like he's about to cry.

You say “what,” with honest confusion. You hold your hand to your head. There's a building pressure behind your eyes.

John does step forward this time, and catches you just before you crumple.

“You shouldn't be up. You've been out for two days. You need to rest.” He says.

You are put back to bed. Joseph stirs and reclaims your hand with his.

“I knew God would not take you from us,” he says.

You close your eyes and will yourself unconscious.

The next few days you mostly sleep. You're woken periodically, a doctor examines you and she speaks to Joseph about you; never to you. John visits frequently. He wants to know all about your life. Joseph has to chase him from the room more than once citing your need for a quiet environment in which to heal. Jacob visits only once. He pulls the chair up to your bedside and doesn't speak. There's great sorrow in his silence. He doesn't stay long but before he leaves he pulls you into a hug and _trembles_ in your arms. You can't help yourself but wrap your arms around him too, and press a soft kiss to his cheek. He doesn't look at you as he leaves.

You are introduced to Faith. She strokes your hair and says that she hopes you'll consider her a sister too. She brought you a bouquet of flowers that sit by your bedside; all shades of orange and yellow.

You mainly deal with Joseph. He disappears from time to time but you notice there's always someone around to keep an eye on you. He brings you your meals, predominantly soup, and helps you to the bathroom. He allows you the privacy of looking away while you wash yourself, though he doesn't leave you entirely alone. He reads to you. The bible mostly, not Revelations, thankfully. He gives you a chagrined half-smile when he notices your reaction to it. He reads to you from a book of poetry instead, after that.

It's too difficult to hold onto your distrust of him, under the circumstances. You try to talk to him about what the cult has been doing more than once but he always changes the subject. You ask what happened to the other deputies and the Sheriff, and you are told only that they are 'safe'. You ask if you're a prisoner and he looks utterly appalled at the notion.

“Of course not,” he says. “We all love you, and want you to stay with us. But once you are healed you can leave any time you wish. You have my word on it.”

You can't read him well enough to know if he's being sincere. There's a growing part of you that doesn't want to know.

You've never known family like this. Not like this.

Every moment with them you feel cherished, and special. You feel love pouring out of each of them. All for you. You feel a pain in your heart when you aren't able to say it back.

You know the cult has taken people. You know Joseph is responsible. You feel your duty keenly, protect and serve, but you also feel a calling in your blood. You start to think 'what if'.

What if in staying by Joseph's side you could temper the worst impulses of his nature? What if by ingratiating yourself into the family you could change it? Change them? Convince your brother to get the help he so clearly needs.

You start to want it so badly you can no longer trust yourself to be objective. You get better every day, sleep less, eat more, spend more time on your feet and less on your back. You dread the moment when you have to choose.

When you are feeling well enough the family gather for a meal.

Joseph sits at the head of the table, and you at the other end; the guest of honour. John brags incessantly about his accomplishments as a lawyer and Faith tells you stories about her childhood. Jacob says little but he can't seem to take his eyes off you.

After you gather near the fire. Faith plays the piano and Joseph sings. You have come to love the sound of his voice.

The sun sets. It gets dark out. John makes hot chocolate which seems out of character until you realise there's whisky in yours. Faith plays a slow tune on the piano and Joseph takes your hands, placing one on his shoulder and holding the other pulling you into a slow shuffling dance. It troubles you how easy it is to get lost like this. To forget why you even came here.

Very soon you will have to choose.

For now you rest your head on your brother's shoulder and focus on the simple pleasure of feeling warm and content and surrounded by family.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a smut or not. There could theoretically (super theoretically) be a smutty part 2 some day. Maybe. [A Gentle Awakening](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_GEch9cyJg) by JD McPherson.


End file.
